It made a better environment for the many wetland species which made their home there, including fern birds, long and short-fin eels, giant kokopu (galaxiid) and native ducks, and it helped attract new species such as the royal spoonbill.

Now the wetland was in better shape, Mr Riley was starting to look to the future and developing the facilities so more people were aware of the amazing and rare resource that was on their doorstep.

The existing facilities were built in the 1980s and not much had been done since, he said.

Designs for boardwalks and improvements including a new plant nursery were in the works.

The aim was to focus on a message of living sustainably by introducing improvements such as solar panels and composting toilets.

More immediately, thanks to a grant from the Mahinerangi Catchment Fund, they were about to start fencing off the farmland part of the property, which was leased out, from the wetlands itself, he said.

''That will really enhance the wetland as we've had issues with stock getting in, defecation, and dying in the waterway.''